He was born at Auburn (then Minot), ME. His parents were George and Bathsheba (Burrell) CURTIS. In the schools of Lewiston and Greene he laid the foundation of an education. He prepared for College in the Maine Wesleyan Seminary at Kent's Hill, but had health problems and could not continue.
He was converted at age 17 (Nov. 24, 1820,) was baptized by Rev. B[enjamin] Thorn, and joined the Free Will Baptist church at Lewiston in May 1821. After his 21st year, he taught school several winters in Lewiston and Lisbon. In the spring of 1827, at age 23, he began to preach the gospel. He was ordained Oct. 4, 1827, when Bowdoin Q.M was in session at Topsham, ME. Ordaining members were Rev's Geo. Lamb, Aliezer Bridges, and Allen Files. He traveled and preached all around the area for the next three or four years. Revivals of great power attended his efforts.
On Nov. 9, 1831, he was married to Miss Patience Gould, of Wayne. They settled in Monmouth. The summer of 1833, he spent in North Providence, R.I. and from there went to Augusta, ME, where he remained for five years. He pastored in Lynn, Mass, but the ocean air did not agree with his health, and thus, he became pastor of the Lowell church for five years. In Lowell, he lost his only child.[Francena]
From 1852-1856, he pastored in Pittsfield, NH, and from there to Concord, NH, where he pastored. They bought a home in Concord where they lived their remaining years.
During his ministry he baptized 800 converts, assisted in organizing several churches and preached at the dedication of twelve church edifices. Besides his long and fruitful ministry in the churches, he was conspicuously active and influential in every denominational enterprise.
He was foremost in the era of publication and educational institutions and organization of benevolent societies.
In 1832, he was selected as one of the printing committee of the Printing Establishment and continued on that board for over 40 years, and was interim agent after Wm. Burr's death. He was appointed agent, and raised $17,000 for the New Hampton Institution, and gathered funds for Chapel Hall. He was corresponding sec'y of the Home Mission Society from 1839-1869, when he resigned. Also, he served on the Foreign Mission Society.
In 1865, he spent several weeks in S.Carolina and Virginia, as superintendent of the work among the freedmen, and afterwards visited the schools and mission stations in Shenandoah Valley, Storer College at Harper's Ferry. He was clerk of the General Conf. in 1835 until 1868. [33yrs]
He attended 20 of the 26 General Conferences that had been held until 1889, date of record. It was recorded that
"he is a man of decided and strong convictions and of great force of character, but also of deep and tender feeling."
He made his home in Concord, NH for more than 30 years.
In Concord, he was an esteemed member and Vice-President, of the "New Hampshire Bible Society" until his death. They recorded in their 1893 minutes at his death, "Rev. Silas Curtis, D.D., was removed by death---we record our appreciation of the long and faithful service he has rendered to the Society, and remember his constancy in the discharge of his official duties as a true and cheerful servant of God."
(info from Cyclopedia of Free Baptists, by Burgess and Ward, pub. 1889, and NH records and Bible Soc. records, as well as census, and other church records.)
--especial thanks to Rick Weaver for the photos.
He was converted at age 17 (Nov. 24, 1820,) was baptized by Rev. B[enjamin] Thorn, and joined the Free Will Baptist church at Lewiston in May 1821. After his 21st year, he taught school several winters in Lewiston and Lisbon. In the spring of 1827, at age 23, he began to preach the gospel. He was ordained Oct. 4, 1827, when Bowdoin Q.M was in session at Topsham, ME. Ordaining members were Rev's Geo. Lamb, Aliezer Bridges, and Allen Files. He traveled and preached all around the area for the next three or four years. Revivals of great power attended his efforts.
On Nov. 9, 1831, he was married to Miss Patience Gould, of Wayne. They settled in Monmouth. The summer of 1833, he spent in North Providence, R.I. and from there went to Augusta, ME, where he remained for five years. He pastored in Lynn, Mass, but the ocean air did not agree with his health, and thus, he became pastor of the Lowell church for five years. In Lowell, he lost his only child.[Francena]
From 1852-1856, he pastored in Pittsfield, NH, and from there to Concord, NH, where he pastored. They bought a home in Concord where they lived their remaining years.
During his ministry he baptized 800 converts, assisted in organizing several churches and preached at the dedication of twelve church edifices. Besides his long and fruitful ministry in the churches, he was conspicuously active and influential in every denominational enterprise.
He was foremost in the era of publication and educational institutions and organization of benevolent societies.
In 1832, he was selected as one of the printing committee of the Printing Establishment and continued on that board for over 40 years, and was interim agent after Wm. Burr's death. He was appointed agent, and raised $17,000 for the New Hampton Institution, and gathered funds for Chapel Hall. He was corresponding sec'y of the Home Mission Society from 1839-1869, when he resigned. Also, he served on the Foreign Mission Society.
In 1865, he spent several weeks in S.Carolina and Virginia, as superintendent of the work among the freedmen, and afterwards visited the schools and mission stations in Shenandoah Valley, Storer College at Harper's Ferry. He was clerk of the General Conf. in 1835 until 1868. [33yrs]
He attended 20 of the 26 General Conferences that had been held until 1889, date of record. It was recorded that
"he is a man of decided and strong convictions and of great force of character, but also of deep and tender feeling."
He made his home in Concord, NH for more than 30 years.
In Concord, he was an esteemed member and Vice-President, of the "New Hampshire Bible Society" until his death. They recorded in their 1893 minutes at his death, "Rev. Silas Curtis, D.D., was removed by death---we record our appreciation of the long and faithful service he has rendered to the Society, and remember his constancy in the discharge of his official duties as a true and cheerful servant of God."
(info from Cyclopedia of Free Baptists, by Burgess and Ward, pub. 1889, and NH records and Bible Soc. records, as well as census, and other church records.)
--especial thanks to Rick Weaver for the photos.
He was born at Auburn (then Minot), ME. His parents were George and Bathsheba (Burrell) CURTIS. In the schools of Lewiston and Greene he laid the foundation of an education. He prepared for College in the Maine Wesleyan Seminary at Kent's Hill, but had health problems and could not continue.
He was converted at age 17 (Nov. 24, 1820,) was baptized by Rev. B[enjamin] Thorn, and joined the Free Will Baptist church at Lewiston in May 1821. After his 21st year, he taught school several winters in Lewiston and Lisbon. In the spring of 1827, at age 23, he began to preach the gospel. He was ordained Oct. 4, 1827, when Bowdoin Q.M was in session at Topsham, ME. Ordaining members were Rev's Geo. Lamb, Aliezer Bridges, and Allen Files. He traveled and preached all around the area for the next three or four years. Revivals of great power attended his efforts.
On Nov. 9, 1831, he was married to Miss Patience Gould, of Wayne. They settled in Monmouth. The summer of 1833, he spent in North Providence, R.I. and from there went to Augusta, ME, where he remained for five years. He pastored in Lynn, Mass, but the ocean air did not agree with his health, and thus, he became pastor of the Lowell church for five years. In Lowell, he lost his only child.[Francena]
From 1852-1856, he pastored in Pittsfield, NH, and from there to Concord, NH, where he pastored. They bought a home in Concord where they lived their remaining years.
During his ministry he baptized 800 converts, assisted in organizing several churches and preached at the dedication of twelve church edifices. Besides his long and fruitful ministry in the churches, he was conspicuously active and influential in every denominational enterprise.
He was foremost in the era of publication and educational institutions and organization of benevolent societies.
In 1832, he was selected as one of the printing committee of the Printing Establishment and continued on that board for over 40 years, and was interim agent after Wm. Burr's death. He was appointed agent, and raised $17,000 for the New Hampton Institution, and gathered funds for Chapel Hall. He was corresponding sec'y of the Home Mission Society from 1839-1869, when he resigned. Also, he served on the Foreign Mission Society.
In 1865, he spent several weeks in S.Carolina and Virginia, as superintendent of the work among the freedmen, and afterwards visited the schools and mission stations in Shenandoah Valley, Storer College at Harper's Ferry. He was clerk of the General Conf. in 1835 until 1868. [33yrs]
He attended 20 of the 26 General Conferences that had been held until 1889, date of record. It was recorded that
"he is a man of decided and strong convictions and of great force of character, but also of deep and tender feeling."
He made his home in Concord, NH for more than 30 years.
In Concord, he was an esteemed member and Vice-President, of the "New Hampshire Bible Society" until his death. They recorded in their 1893 minutes at his death, "Rev. Silas Curtis, D.D., was removed by death---we record our appreciation of the long and faithful service he has rendered to the Society, and remember his constancy in the discharge of his official duties as a true and cheerful servant of God."
(info from Cyclopedia of Free Baptists, by Burgess and Ward, pub. 1889, and NH records and Bible Soc. records, as well as census, and other church records.)
--especial thanks to Rick Weaver for the photos.
He was converted at age 17 (Nov. 24, 1820,) was baptized by Rev. B[enjamin] Thorn, and joined the Free Will Baptist church at Lewiston in May 1821. After his 21st year, he taught school several winters in Lewiston and Lisbon. In the spring of 1827, at age 23, he began to preach the gospel. He was ordained Oct. 4, 1827, when Bowdoin Q.M was in session at Topsham, ME. Ordaining members were Rev's Geo. Lamb, Aliezer Bridges, and Allen Files. He traveled and preached all around the area for the next three or four years. Revivals of great power attended his efforts.
On Nov. 9, 1831, he was married to Miss Patience Gould, of Wayne. They settled in Monmouth. The summer of 1833, he spent in North Providence, R.I. and from there went to Augusta, ME, where he remained for five years. He pastored in Lynn, Mass, but the ocean air did not agree with his health, and thus, he became pastor of the Lowell church for five years. In Lowell, he lost his only child.[Francena]
From 1852-1856, he pastored in Pittsfield, NH, and from there to Concord, NH, where he pastored. They bought a home in Concord where they lived their remaining years.
During his ministry he baptized 800 converts, assisted in organizing several churches and preached at the dedication of twelve church edifices. Besides his long and fruitful ministry in the churches, he was conspicuously active and influential in every denominational enterprise.
He was foremost in the era of publication and educational institutions and organization of benevolent societies.
In 1832, he was selected as one of the printing committee of the Printing Establishment and continued on that board for over 40 years, and was interim agent after Wm. Burr's death. He was appointed agent, and raised $17,000 for the New Hampton Institution, and gathered funds for Chapel Hall. He was corresponding sec'y of the Home Mission Society from 1839-1869, when he resigned. Also, he served on the Foreign Mission Society.
In 1865, he spent several weeks in S.Carolina and Virginia, as superintendent of the work among the freedmen, and afterwards visited the schools and mission stations in Shenandoah Valley, Storer College at Harper's Ferry. He was clerk of the General Conf. in 1835 until 1868. [33yrs]
He attended 20 of the 26 General Conferences that had been held until 1889, date of record. It was recorded that
"he is a man of decided and strong convictions and of great force of character, but also of deep and tender feeling."
He made his home in Concord, NH for more than 30 years.
In Concord, he was an esteemed member and Vice-President, of the "New Hampshire Bible Society" until his death. They recorded in their 1893 minutes at his death, "Rev. Silas Curtis, D.D., was removed by death---we record our appreciation of the long and faithful service he has rendered to the Society, and remember his constancy in the discharge of his official duties as a true and cheerful servant of God."
(info from Cyclopedia of Free Baptists, by Burgess and Ward, pub. 1889, and NH records and Bible Soc. records, as well as census, and other church records.)
--especial thanks to Rick Weaver for the photos.
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